Skinny Love
by SeekerWitch80808
Summary: Ever wonder how the odd pairing of Neville and Luna occured? Well, you've came to the right story! Enter the captivating take on the odd relationship that blossomed over three years, beginning with their first encounter at The Yule Ball, fourth year.


1. The First Encounter

Yule Ball, Christmas Eve, 1994

Neville Longbottom holds the small pastel pink rose and awaits downstairs in the Gryffindor common room along with Ron, and Harry for their dates to come along downstairs. Beads of perspiration trailed down the sides of his faces, as a thousand thoughts trail through his brain. Would his dancing meet Ginny's standards? He had practiced day and night much to the enjoyment of his mates. He ignored the jokes like he'd ignore any other teases her received on a daily basis. Did he pick the right color corsage? He remembered something his Grandmother had told his about how his father, fashioned up a yellow tulip to give to his mother and she broke out in hives, due to a muggle condition she had called allergies, and nearly refused to go near Frank Longbottom until sixth year for distorting her perfect complexion. He couldn't ruin Ginny's entire night by picking the wrong bloody rose. But, of course he could fix it with a simple changing spell. He began to think of all the possible things that could go wrong before Ron placed his hand on Neville's shoulders.

"Oi, forgot to tell you something." Ron says, as Neville's eyes grow wide, knowing he'd receive a lashing like he did from Fred and George about bringing Ginny home before midnight, and not touching her anywhere below her waist, earning a scarlet blush on nervous Neville's face. "Your robes aren't buttoned all the way." He says, buttoning up his top button.

"Er, thanks...". Neville says quietly.

"Oi, here they come!"

Pavarti and Patil come down wearing their elegantly traditional Indian robes contributing to their identical style. Their make-up done to perfection and both their cheeks hinted a slight swish of pink blush. They each take the arms of Ron and Harry and kiss their cheek before pushing them out of the door.

"Later, Neville." They smirk.

He sighs trying to gather his thoughts together, until he hears the soft call of his name and a stunning Ginger come into his view. His jaw drops.

Her dress ,a simple one, most likely one her mother fashioned fit her body perfectly, and accentuation her developing breasts. Her lips a light pink, with a complementing shadow on her eyes. A smile teased her face as she stands in front of him. "You clean up nice, Longbottom." She looks over at the corsage in her hand and her smile on widens "Is that for me?" She takes it off his wrist and puts it round her "Fresh roses, my favorite. Thanks, Nev."

He smacks his lips softly "You.. Look, ama- gorgeous." He says unable to think of anything else to utter.

"Thanks, not too shabby yourself. So, are we gonna stand about or actually head to the ball." She giggles.

"Er... right." He says quietly, leading her out and down the stairs.

"So Nev, tell me... You dance good to mambo right?" She asks.

Neville's eyes widen and he feels the beads of perspiration begin to grown near his hairline. The only styling of dance he worked nearly endlessly on was ballroom. Mambo? What in the bloody fuck was Mambo?Neville quickly racked his brain and repeated it mentally. Mambo. It had to be a latin styling, Neville was a terrible at latin dancing. The fast paced beats, and the movement of his hips had really worked correctly, and he swore off it, disenrolling in the muggle classes forgood.

"Relax Nev, I'm just pulling your leg." She giggles.

"Pulling, my leg? Oh, right." He breathes.

"Jeez, relax. You looked like someone had looked you in the eye and avada kedavra'd you." She laughs.

"I'm sorry. I'm just nervous." He breathes out quickly.

"About what, dancing?" She asks.

"No, not about that. Just not impressing you. I mean, I can't have a repeat of what my dad did to me mum. I'd be mort-"

"Shush." She says placing a finger over his lips. "Breathe. Don't be nervous. I'm not high mateance, I like the simple things. Keep it simple and everything should go brilliant. Yeah?" She smiles.

"Right. Thanks Gin."

Her cheeks burn at her nickname "No problem, Longbottom."

Their chatter ceased once they entered the large, decorated room. They walk in to a crowd as the Tri-wizard champions walk down gracefully and take their places on the dance floor. As the band begins to play and the dancing begins, they begin dancing, Neville snickers at Harry's frantic and unsure movements. As Harry nearly drops Patil, Neville looks over at Ginny who's humming along and that's when he decides to make his move.

"May, I er have this dance?" He grins and watches Ginny blush and take his open hand.

"I'd be honored."

They stroll to the to the floor and they revert to the positions McGongall taught them, Neville placing one hand on her waist the other inclined with her and her elbows bent out perfectly. Ginny took his hand and placed the other on his shoulder

**~O~O**

The loud muggle rock blasted through the stereo as American Rock band Green day, played to their hearts contempt, and Neville Longbottom couldn't stand all of that noise, unlike Ginny who threw herself at front stage and shouted at the top of her lungs that she loved him. Hehad to get out, and fast.

"Oi, Ginny! I'm going to get some fresh air, yeah." He says, earning a loud shriek from Ginny. He made his way out of the crowd, with a bit of a struggle as six other girls took his place, and rushed out of the doors.

He inhaled the fresh air, and feels the cool air he was deprived of in the building. The snow begins to fall once again, topping off the wonderful festive occasions, most rushed inside to get away from the bitter cold, that Neville adored. Ever since he was a child, He loved to climb out of his window, sit on the leaveless tree and watch the snow trickle down slowly, until his Grandmother found him there. She'd once told him that his mother had adored the cold nights and wasmental for leaving all the windows open to wake up to a cool breeze. He remembered smiling brightly at the thought.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" He hears the light airy voice, and ablond comes into his view. As she stands up, Neville sees her blond curls managed into a chignon, her lips stained a blood red, and her dress a delicate virgin white that came past her midthigh. "The snow falling down, the light breeze, it's absolutely the perfect Christmas I've always imaged, but never got. A wonderful gift." She says, looking over at the timid boy.

"Right." He stutters barely able to get over her effortless beauty. He stares at her short gown once more. "You must be freezing.. Here." He takes his jacket off and places it over her delicate shoulders.

"Thank you, but I actually came out here to escape the heat. I'm not a fan of American muggle rock it's like too many Whackspurth's are in your ear at once." She says sheepishly.

"Me too, it's a bit too much for me. I've grown up to Bethoveen and other such music." He chuckles quietly.

"Hmm, you seemed just fine dancing to it earlier." She says, turning at him "With that redhead, Ginny Weasley. you two seem close." She smiles wickedly.

Neville's eyes widen "Oi, what are you getting at."

"Nothing, nothing at all. I'm sorry, I just assumed." She breathes, looking up into the starry sky. "By way, you two moved on the dancefloor was effortless. Stunning really, like two people raging in passionate love."

"Love?" Neville quipped,his voice cracking at the thought.

"Yes. Really, stunning. Almost as stunning as the love making of Nargles, nasty creatures they are. Have you heard of them." She looks over at him.

"Uhmm, no."

"They're-"

"Neville? There you are! I've been looking for you for ages. Why are you out here it's freezing." Ginny asks crossing her arms together to keep warm, and she glares menacingly at the girl.

"I should be getting back in before Alekzander has a fit." She slips off his jacket, and hands it back to him. As she stands up she pats the snow off of her dress and smiles briefly at Ginny. "Happy Christmas, you Ginevera."

Neville watches her walk away, and he calls out to her "Hey!"

Her head snaps back and she blinks several times.

"I didn't catch your name."

She smiles once again "You won't need it. Happy Christmas, Neville." She turns around to see the Dumstrong boy peeping his head out of the door. "Alekzander, I'm coming!" She rushes inside, leaving her imprint on Neville's erratic beating heart.

"Neville!" Ginny snaps her fingers in front of her face, and shivers.

He blinks a few times and realizes what she wanted. He places the coat gently over her shoulder "Sorry, about leaving you. I uh, needed some fresh air." He inhaled the mystery girl's heavenly perfume.

"Oh, that's alright. I know American Muggle Rock, isn't your thing. So, how about we take this party to one of those carriages. Make it quite a magical night." She winks and gnaws on her lower lip seductively.

Neville's eyes widen "Gin, we can't you're only thirteen, and Fred and George would beat the mickey out of me"

"Never mind my brothers, and age is just a number darling." She giggles, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him roughly.

He could taste the hint of firewhiskey on her breath, and gagged pushing her back. "Ginny, no. I don't want to, right now."

Ginny's nose scrunches up. "Yes, you do. Everyone wants it, Hermione said so." She says reaches up for the buttons of his shirt.

"Ginny! The hell with Hermione. We barely know each other outside of your brothers."

"So, what! That doesn't mean we can't have our fun." She says, persistently,

"Ginny, stop! Ginny!" She ignores him as she reaches for the last button, his trousers. "Ginny, stop, you're acting like a slag!" He covers his mouth as the devilish word slips from his mouth.

She stops dead in her tracks, and stares up at him like an animagus caught in a full moon. Her lips quiver, as she backs away

"Ginny.. I didn't me-"

She rushes back inside, leaving him alone to process what just went ary. He hadn't mean to let the words slip, it just he knew it was the only way to get her off of him.

"Bloody fuck." He mutters under his breath, running his fingers through his neatly slicked back hair. He mutters a slew of obscenities before entering back inside to find Ginny huddled over her older mischievous twin brothers sobbing.

His eyes widened as their words raced through his head again "If you even look at her wrong, we'll hex you into next week!" Quickly, he shuffles through a crowd of Beauxbaton girls, and rushing back outside to an alternative route.

~O~O

Neville enters his dorm, to find Ron, and Harry chatting quietly already stripped in their pyjamas about their dreadful night.

"Oi, look what the dementor drug in, Neville fucking Longbottom the last one in, Ginny must've gave you a good time eh, Nev?" Seamus grins, popping another jelly bean into his mouth.

"What it Finnigan, that's my sister your blabbing about." Ron warns, looking up at Neville.

"I'm suprised as you. I was thinking that you two'd be in late, seeing that Patil sisters are notorious slags." Neville comments, opening his trunk, as he begun to undress.

"Yeah, well Ron wasn't having such a good time, so we just decided to turn in early." Harry says quietly.

"Oh, that's rubbish. Someone wasn't willingly to lose their virginity besides anyone but Hermione Grannnnger." Seamus sings grinning cheekily, "she looked fuckin' mouthwaterin' in that dress. Too bad you didn't ask her earlier mate, her virginity's as good as gone in Krum's hands"

"Shut the fuck up Seamus!" Ron growls, plopping into his bed and shutting his curtains.

"Looks you pulled a nerve Seamus." Neville chuckles, pulling on a burgundy shirt and climbing into bed.

"A few, I suppose. So, Nev, tell us what happened mate, was she good?"

"Seamus, I swear on motherfucking gordric himself-" Ron began

"Easy mate, get your knickers out of your arse. I'll tell you in the morning mate, I'm spent honestly." Neville lies, and shuts his curtains again.

"Oi, since when did Ron start wearing ladies knickers. You not tellin' us somethin' mate?"

"Piss of Finnigan!"

Neville chuckles before closing his eyes, and slipping into a deep slumber of the girl in the virgin white dress he'd saw before.


End file.
